The aromatic emissions of certain chemically treated absorbent material are often used as home, commercial or industrial air fresheners, deodorants, insect repellant or for new flagrance creation. Such products are often designed to be hung or suspended in a room, automobile, aircraft, on a patio, porch or deck. Several difficulties and problems arise however when the chemically treated objects are suspended with the hanging means and protective packaging with which most of them are originally supplied. For example, when suspended by the typically supplied elastic cord, the chemically treated object may inadvertently come into contact with walls, upholstery, draperies or other furnishings and if left in such contact for a period of time the resident chemical compounds in the product will discolor or stain the surface or object with which it has remained in contact.
Many of the air freshener and similar products are packaged for sale in sealed plastic bags or containers. Their instructions for use often suggest that the plastic container be cut and only partially removed or pulled down and away from the product in order to expose only a part of the product to the surrounding air. As the exposed portion of the freshener looses its potency, an additional portion of it is to be exposed by pulling the plastic bag further down and away. In addition to exposing only small potions of the freshener device at a time, in order to conserve its effectiveness, such a technique also serves to control the strength of the chemical or aromatic emissions which are released. With the device of the present invention, this rather crude prior method of controlling the life, strength and effectiveness of such an object, is eliminated.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a protective covering for any type of chemically treated substance where air contact with the substance is essential to its proper operation and function.
A second object of the invention is to provide a ventilated housing for aromatic or chemically emissive substances which housing may also serve as the means to suspend the substance in the area to which it is to be effective.
Another object of the invention is to provide a housing for aromatic or chemically emissive devices which will control the degree of exposure of the contained chemical materials to the air, extending the life of the device and creating an even distribution of the emissions therefrom, while at the same time eliminating the unsightly appearance of a plastic packaging bag hanging around the product.
A still further object of the invention is to eliminate the need for costly decoration, design and coloring of air freshener products, such design being unnecessary because the freshener will, in use, be contained in the more elaborately designed and permanent type of container of the present invention.
A further object of the invention is to provide a housing for aromatic products where the they can be frequently changed to provide a variety of fragrances, while at the same time maintaining the decor of the housing of the present invention.